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By Meg Wagner A wiretapping warrant for a Russia “expert” U.S. intelligence officials were granted a secret court order last summer to spy on a Trump campaign adviser because the government claimed that it had reason to believe that he was acting as a Russian agent, according to a new report. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Justice Department applied for a warrant to wiretap Carter Page — an investment banker, self-described expert on Russia, and foreign policy […]

By Ese Olumhense Tabloid’s claims caused Melania “a great deal of upset” The British newspaper The Daily Mail will pay First Lady Melania Trump damages to settle two libel suits brought over a 2016 article suggesting that, while working as a professional model, she “provided services beyond simply modeling.” The publication also issued an apology for the now-retracted August 2016 article. The original article, titled “Racy photos and troubling questions about his wife’s past that could derail Trump,” falsely suggested […]

By Meg Wagner Spreading “false narratives” The Trump administration on Tuesday accused Russia of helping its ally Syria cover up a deadly chemical attack, in which the latter’s government allegedly used an illegal nerve agent on its own people. The White House claimed in a four-page report that both Syria and Russia are issuing “false narratives” about the April 4 gassing in an attempt to hide Syria’s purported involvement in the attack and the country’s use of sarin, a chemical […]

By Ese Olumhense President makes personal appeal to Kansas voters President Donald Trump personally urged Kansas residents to support a GOP candidate, Ron Estes, in what may be a close special election taking place in the state on Tuesday for the seat of former Representative Mike Pompeo, who is now CIA director under Trump. “On Tuesday, Republican Ron Estes needs your vote — and needs it badly,” Trump said in a recorded robocall to voters, The Wichita Eagle reported on […]

By Meg Wagner Discrimination was a “motivating factor” A Texas law that requires voters to show ID before they can cast their ballots was designed to discriminate against minorities, a federal judge ruled Monday, marking the second time she has condemned the law’s intentions. U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos said the 2011 law has disproportionately impacted black and Latino voters — an outcome the Republican lawmakers who wrote it wanted, she wrote. “A discriminatory purpose was at least one […]

By Meg Wagner $250,000 to host China’s president Florida lawmakers have proposed imposing special taxes on President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort to help cover the costs of security for his frequent visits — an already-expensive task that becomes even pricier when he’s entertaining other world leaders. Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw estimated that Trump’s visit with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday and Friday cost a whopping $250,000, including at least $120,000 per day in overtime pay for law […]

By Ese Olumhense Nearly a million families could benefit For families with annual incomes of $125,000 and under, tuition will be free at four-year institutions and community colleges in the City University of New York (CUNY) and State University of New York (SUNY) system, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Saturday. The legislation is the first of its kind passed by any state. The “Excelsior Scholarship,” as it is officially known, will be phased in over three years — beginning […]

By Meg Wagner Condemning ‘crimes against the innocents’ Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Monday that the U.S. will stand up to anyone who commits crimes against innocent people — a declaration that came as he prepares for an international meeting of foreign ministers that is expected to focus on the deadly Syrian chemical attack. Today, Tillerson is in Tuscany for a two-day meeting with ministers from the other Group of Seven (G7) nations: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, […]

By Meg Wagner Seven executions still scheduled A judge on Thursday halted one of the eight executions that Arkansas had planned to carry out over the course of 10 days later this month, arguing that the hasty schedule doesn’t give the governor enough time to consider granting the inmate clemency. U.S. District Judge D. Price Marshall ruled that the planned April 27 execution of Jason McGehee — who was convicted in the 1996 murder of a teenage boy — should […]

By Ese Olumhense “As an American, I’m pretty worried” In her first public interview since her historic presidential election defeat, Hillary Clinton in New York on Thursday expressed deep concern about Russia’s role in the November race — calling it an “act of aggression” — and threw support behind an independent investigation into any collusion between President Donald Trump’s team and Russian President Vladimir Putin. “A foreign power meddled with our election and did so in a way that we […]

By Meg Wagner Violating the First Amendment? Twitter is suing President Donald Trump’s administration for allegedly trying to force the social media giant to unmask an anonymous anti-Trump account, allegedly run by disgruntled immigration department staffers. In the lawsuit filed Thursday, Twitter claims that it received a summons in March from the Department of Homeland Security’s Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) demanding information about the Twitter users behind the @ALT_USCIS handle. The account, whose managers have identified themselves […]

By Ese Olumhense Body cam program will “change police work” Taser International, the company whose electric shock devices have given it a bad rap, is rebranding. As part of the shift, the company announced Wednesday, it will be changing its name to Axon Enterprise and giving out free body cameras to police officers. Axon body cameras, which the company has made for over a decade, will be distributed to every police officer in the country for a one-year trial run. […]

By Meg Wagner “Many lines beyond the red line” crossed President Donald Trump blamed a Tuesday chemical attack in a northern rebel-held area of Syria on the country’s embattled President Bashar al-Assad, adding that the carnage — which killed nearly 100, including more than two dozen children — changed his opinion of the regime. Trump’s comments have infuriated Syrian allies, but encouraged Assad’s long-time critics. During a Wednesday press conference, Trump — whose administration just last week insisted that removing […]

By Ese Olumhense “Clearly we missed the mark” Pepsi has pulled a controversial commercial starring model Kendall Jenner after claims that the company and starlet co-opted protest movements like Black Lives Matter and January’s women’s marches in order to sell soda. The ad opens with Jenner, clad in a blonde wig, at a photoshoot. Her interest is piqued by a passing group of young, attractive, and well-dressed protesters, many holding vague signs reading “love” and “unity” and “join the conversation.” […]

By Ese Olumhense Once flagged, intimate images cannot be reposted Facebook announced on Wednesday that it will be implementing new “photo-matching technologies” on several of its platforms to help users stem the spread of sexual images shared without consent. “When this content, often referred to as ‘revenge porn,’ is reported to us, we can now prevent it from being shared on Facebook, Messenger and Instagram,” said Facebook’s Head of Global Safety Antigone Davis, in a Wednesday release. “This is part […]

By Meg Wagner Toxic traps that attract predators and pets Four environmental and animal-welfare groups sued the Trump administration on Tuesday, alleging that the U.S. government’s continued use of predator-killing poisons — which also kill family pets and harm people — is breaking federal regulations that protect endangered species. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service uses M-44 poison traps, commonly known as cyanide bombs, to kill coyotes and predators that may hurt livestock, but the toxic devices also have the […]

By Ese Olumhense Maintaining historic battlefields President Donald Trump gave a portion of his salary to the National Park Service on Monday, fulfilling the commitment he made not to accept even a dollar of his $400,000 salary as U.S. president. Press Secretary Sean Spicer on Monday presented a $78,333 check to Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and Tyrone Brandyburg, the superintendent at Harper’s Ferry National Historic Park in West Virginia. The money will go toward maintaining historic battlefields, Zinke said in […]

By Ese Olumhense “A signal that discriminatory behavior is permitted” The board of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) announced on Tuesday that it has “reluctantly” decided to allow North Carolina to host its championship games again. This follows Thursday’s controversial repeal of the state’s H.B. 2, which barred transgender people from using the bathroom that accords with their gender identity and not biological sex. The law was replaced last week by H.B. 142, which removes the “bathroom bill” portion […]

By Meg Wagner Paying more for less coverage Less than two weeks after a GOP bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act died, White House officials met with members of Washington’s conservative bloc who refused to back it in a bid to devise a new plan — and this new proposition could leave many Americans who have pre-existing health conditions without the care they need. Vice President Mike Pence met with the House Freedom Caucus on Monday to […]

By Meg Wagner Internet giants respond to fierce backlash Three of the nation’s biggest internet service providers vowed to keep customers’ web browsing histories secure, following a controversial congressional vote to kill federal web privacy rules. Comcast, Verizon, and AT&T announced Friday that they have no plans to profit from sharing their customers’ personal information with advertisers, despite the overturned Federal Communications Commission (FCC) guidelines. The rules, which had not yet gone into effect, would have required internet service providers to get […]

By Meg Wagner Heading to a deeply divided Senate A Senate panel is expected to approve President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court pick, Neil Gorsuch, on Monday — the first step in confirming his nomination, which will likely end in a bitter partisan battle that could conclude with the fundamental altering of rules of confirmation of judge’s for the land’s highest court. The 11 Republicans and nine Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee are anticipated to vote along party lines and […]

By Ese Olumhense Project shows promise for food production in dry areas Using a simulator that replicates the extreme environmental conditions present on Mars, Peruvian scientists have successfully grown a small potato plant, a feat that the researchers say bodes well for both extraterrestrial agriculture and food production in dry regions of the globe. “It’s not only about bringing potatoes to Mars, but also finding a potato that can resist non-cultivable areas on Earth,” astrobiologist Julio Valdivia of Peru’s University […]

By Meg Wagner A request for immunity from a ‘witch-hunt’ The Senate intelligence committee on Friday turned down an ousted presidential adviser’s offer to testify about possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russia in exchange for immunity from prosecution. Retired General Michael Flynn — who was forced to resign from his post as President Donald Trump’s national security adviser amid allegations that he illegally meddled in U.S.-Russian diplomatic affairs — said on Thursday that he was willing to testify […]

By Meg Wagner No wall in the middle of the Rio Grande Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke on Tuesday implied that President Donald Trump’s promised border wall could be built on Mexican soil — but the White House is still scrabbling to find funding for the project. In a Tuesday speech to the Public Land Council in Washington, Zinke said the proposed U.S.-Mexico border wall — projected to cost anywhere between $12 billion and $67 billion — is an especially complicated […]

By Ese Olumhense Pair used ‘manufactured identities’ Prosecutors in California issued arrest warrants on Tuesday for the two anti-abortion activists who secretly taped and later published conversations with more than a dozen Planned Parenthood health care providers. Fifteen felony counts were filed against David Robert Daleiden and Sandra Susan Merritt, for both recording confidential communications and conspiring to record confidential communications. The two used “manufactured identities” and presented themselves as representatives of a fictitious medical company to access Planned Parenthood […]

By Meg Wagner Next stop: Trump’s desk The U.S. House of Representatives voted on Tuesday to kill a set of internet privacy rules, paving the way for service providers to share and sell their customers’ sensitive information — including everything from browsing histories and financial records to information on children. The bill to repeal the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations passed 215-205, with 15 Republicans joining the 190 Democrats who voted against it. It passed in the Senate last week […]

By Meg Wagner A network of rules on the chopping block President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed a sweeping executive order rolling back a slate of Obama-era environmental regulations, in a move that will unravel a network of policies intended to cut carbon emissions and curb climate change. The far-reaching order targets a series of rules implemented under former president Barack Obama, either suspending them directly or putting them up for review. It was billed as a measure to boost domestic energy […]

By Meg Wagner $4.1 billion in federal funds at stake Attorney General Jeff Sessions reiterated on Monday that the Trump camp plans to follow through on its long-running promise to crack down on so-called sanctuary cities, outlining how the administration will withhold billions in federal funding to rebellious jurisdictions — money, the cities claim, that is used to fight crime and terrorism. Sessions said that the Justice Department expects to awards more than $4.1 billion in grants to state and local […]

By Ese Olumhense ‘A closer merger of biological intelligence and digital intelligence’ If Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has his way, humans might one day be able to have tiny computers implanted in their brains, which could enable them to better connect with other computers and devices, access information more quickly, or boost memory. The technology would be developed, according to The Wall Street Journal, through a new venture Musk is backing called Neuralink, which was founded in July. Earlier […]

By Ese Olumhense Legal status will reportedly go into effect by July 1, 2018 Recreational marijuana will soon be legal nationwide in Canada, a recent report from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) stated. The new legislation — which is in line with both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s pledge to legalize and regulate marijuana and with the November recommendations of a federally appointed task force on the drug — is expected to be introduced the week of April 10, the Sunday […]